Sunday, December 31, 2006

We commence yet another winning year in the two decade domination of Joe Duffy’s GodsTips with at least six New Year’s Day bowl winners. America’s Greatest is 11-5 the last 16 bowls (NYE pending) and that includes a moneyline winner on Kentucky +320. 6-0 New Year’s Day. You get the all of today’s Joe Duffy’s GodsTips $17 at the new home: OffshoreInsiders.com.

CFB

Auburn-Nebraska UNDER 46

Auburn has a low powered offense.Kenny Irons grinds it out and Brandon Cox does not have a very strong arm.However their defense is their strength. They allow 13.9 points per game to teams normally getting 23.1.That’s on 5.0 yards per play to teams normally getting 5.4.

It may not be the ole wishbone teams of Nebraska but they hold teams to 18.4 points per game, a full 7.1 points per game below their normal average. They hold teams to 3.9 yards per rush to teams normally getting 4.3 and 6.8 yards per pass to teams normally getting 7.1.

For the top sports service side and the top sports service total on EVERY bowl game, please go now to MasterLockLine.com

Tennessee-PennState

Mercury News

They’ve given up 26 points in the last four ballgames,” said Philip Fulmer, the head coach of PSU’s Outback Bowl opponent, Tennessee. For the third straight season, the Lions fielded a top-20 defense, limiting opponents to an average of 279 yards per game. Only 15 defenses in the nation surrendered less. The unit had just one lackluster outing—in a 41-17 setback at Notre Dame in September—but kept Penn State in every other game, routinely overcoming bad field position and long stretches of work brought on by a struggling offense. And the defense continued to improve, allowing just two touchdowns in the final 21 quarters of the regular season. The unit wound up ranking among the nation’s top 11 in four important categories: scoring defense (14.8 points per game); rush defense (87.8 yards per game); pass efficiency defense; and sacks (38). Even in PSU’s three Big Ten Conference losses—against top-ranked OhioState, No. 3 Michigan and No. 7 Wisconsin—the defense managed to make statements. After watching Michigan and OhioState roll up a combined 81 points and nearly 1,000 yards of offense against each other, Sports Illustrated marveled that the Lions’ defense managed to limit each to just two touchdowns.

Michigan-USC

Associated Press

There was no celebrating a traditional matchup in the Rose Bowl - at least by the participants. Southern California of the Pac-10 and Michigan of the Big Ten will meet New Year’s Day in the granddaddy of ‘em all, with each playing in the game for the third time in four years. Both had hoped to be in Glendale, Ariz., a week later, playing for the national title. That honor goes to OhioState and Florida - ranked 1-2 in the final Bowl Championship Series standings released Sunday. USC and Michigan had their chances. The Trojans (10-2) entered the weekend with the inside track toward facing the unbeaten Buckeyes, but a 13-9 loss to crosstown rival UCLA on Saturday knocked them out.

No. 3 Michigan (11-1) was overtaken by Florida (12-1) on the strength of the Gators’ 38-28 triumph over Arkansas in the Southeastern Conference championship game later Saturday. The Wolverines didn’t get their hoped-for rematch with the Buckeyes, who beat them 42-39 on Nov. 18 in the final regular-season game for both teams. USC has played in 30 previous Rose Bowl games, going 21-9, while Michigan has played in 23, going 11-12.

Boise-Oklahoma

Kitspan Sun

The Jan. 1 contest between his ninth-ranked Broncos (12-0) and No. 7 Oklahoma (11-2) arguably is the biggest game in BoiseState history and certainly the biggest in Petersen’s six seasons at the school — five as offensive coordinator and one as head coach.

Georgia Tech-West Virginia

Florida Times-Union

West Virginia’s two offensive leaders are both slowed by injuries but are expected to play in Monday’s Gator Bowl. Quarterback Pat White, who missed WVU’s regular-season finale against Rutgers with a sprained ankle, practiced Tuesday, as did running back Steve Slaton, who is battling a thigh bruise suffered in a bowl practice n Morgantown, W.Va., before Christmas. The obvious matchup in the Gator Bowl will be West Virginia’s spread offense against Georgia Tech’s blitzing, stunting defense. Tech coach Chan Gailey said the Mountaineers’ ball-handling and misdirection might keep the Yellow Jackets’ defense back on its heels a bit and curtail the all-out pressure the unit favored most of the season. But Gailey said he believes the Jackets still have enough team speed to make big plays, once they figure out who has the ball and where they’re going.

Nebraska-Auburn

Associated Press

The No. 22 Cornhuskers (9-4) are in a January game for the first time in five seasons. The New Year’s Day game will be only their fourth Cotton Bowl - and first since 1980.

Huskers.com

Nebraska players and coaches have been talking all week about the significance of notching their 10th victory of the season. They say that recognizing the challenge presented by a tough Auburn team, one that Bill Callahan had pegged early on as a national championship contender. The Tigers have beaten two top-10 teams this season (LSU and Florida) while the Huskers went 0-3 against top-10 teams (USC, Texas and Oklahoma).

Arkansas-Wisconsin

Fox Sports

How does a team win 11 games, climb into the top 10 - and still remain under the radar?

Ask Wisconsin, which is having one of its best seasons but has been overshadowed by Big Ten rivals OhioState and Michigan.The No. 6 Badgers (11-1) face No. 12 Arkansas in Monday’s Capital One Bowl. Wisconsin has won eight straight since losing at Michigan in September, and a victory will give the school its first 12-win season.

The Razorbacks (10-3) bounced back from two straight losing seasons, winning 10 in a row at one point before losses to LSU and then Florida in the Southeastern Conference title game. Arkansas is led by Heisman Trophy runner-up Darren McFadden, who has rushed for 1,558 yards this season. Redshirt freshman P.J. Hill has run for 1,533 for Wisconsin.The Badgers have faced only one ranked team this season - Michigan. OhioState was not on their conference schedule. Arkansas is trying to avoid finishing with three straight losses. “You want to leave out on a good note,” said Razorbacks receiver Marcus Monk, who has 949 yards receiving this season. Wisconsin quarterback John Stocco missed his last two starts of the regular season with a shoulder injury, but he’s back now. Arkansas has its own injury concern - McFadden hurt his ankle in the SEC title game, although he stayed in the game and has had plenty of time to heal.

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Six NFL winners plus the bowl total are up for Sunday from red hot GodsTips.com. We go 7-3 Saturday. We are 11-5 the last 16 bowl plays (includes 320 dog winner), two losers were juiceless moneyline dogs. We are 26-12 the last 38 in the NBA. Seven football winners for New Years Eve. You get the all of today’s Joe Duffy’s GodsTips $17 at the new home: OffshoreInsiders.com.

NFL

PITTSBURGH +6 Cincinnati

Here is the myth: the public loves going with teams that “need it more”. They are in a must-win game because, well they’ve failed in their last two must-win games. The Steelers are playing well, winning 5-of-7.Funny who much better a team plays when their quarterback does not have cobwebs. Also the strong possibility that this is Bill Cowher’s last game as head coach (announcement in the lockerroom perhaps?) and the chance to piss on a long-time rival’s parade is all the motivation they need.

Surely Carson Palmer has to have in the back of his mind the last time the Steelers played in Cincinnati.

Also going with dogs revenging a loss in which their foe scored 28 or more points and off a loss to a divisional rival is +72.4 units on the money line.Oh that money line is so tempting.

STEAM: We’ve added more bowl winners and hoops.We have four bowl side and totals, the NFL Major side and five basketball, three are Wise Guy plays! It will take a long time to mentally recover from moneyline losers on Minnesota and Missouri, yet despite that we are 8-4 in bowls the last two days including moneyline on Kentucky +330. You get the all of today’s Joe Duffy’s GodsTips $17 at the new home: OffshoreInsiders.com.

CBB

WEST VIRGINIA -1 Connecticut

Connecticut is on my all cupcake team baby. Their most impressive win all year was at home to St. Mary’s.They have not played a road or even neutral game all year. They play a defense that allows a nation’s best 49.4 points per game. We would not have thought as much if it were not for the fact Connecticut does not have a lot of players who can point to last year as when they were tested. The Huskies, after all, lost their top six scorers from last year’s team, including four that were taken in the first round of the NBA draft.

WVU head coach John Beilein is 20-0 at WVU in December home games. Home court advantage fades as the year goes on, but these are the perfect circumstances where it will prove huge.

Friday, December 29, 2006

Virginia Tech-Georgia

Journal Constitution

Georgia offensive lineman Ian Smith won’t play in the Chick-fil-A Bowl against Virginia Tech on Dec. 30, Bulldogs coach Mark Richt said Sunday night. Without Smith in the bowl game, Georgia will be back to seven scholarship offensive linemen against the Hokies.Every other Georgia player who did not suffer a season-ending injury is expected to play against the Hokies.

Planet Blacksburgh

Georgia, ranked as high as No. 9 this season, spent seven weeks ranked in the top-25 and brings the SEC’s second-ranked defense into the game to face the number one defense in the NCAA.

Iowa-Texas

Dallas Morning News

Iowa (6-6), which lost five of its last six games, opened as an 11 ½ -point underdog – one of the biggest underdogs of the bowl season. “We’ve seen Michigan, OhioState and Wisconsin firsthand, and outside of OhioState we can play with those teams, and the same goes for Texas,” Iowa junior running back Albert Young said. “When we bring our A game, we can compete with anybody.” The Alamodome is adding up to 800 seats in anticipation of the largest crowd for a sporting event in the stadium’s history. More than 66,000 fans are expected. Texas coach Mack Brown said the Longhorns (9-3) owe a good performance to their fans. Iowa is not giving up big plays, having allowed only one run of 30 yards or longer (34 yards) all season.

Express News

Texas QB Colt McCoy left UT’s loss at KansasState with a stinger injury on Nov. 11, then aggravated it against Texas A&M. Doctors cleared him Thursday to play in the Alamo Bowl. The Hawkeyes are 1-10 against the spread this season, making them one of the worst teams in Division I-A football against the spread.

Boston College-Navy

Washington Post

BostonCollege has won six straight bowl games dating from 1999, the longest streak in the nation entering the bowl season. (Utah tied the streak with a 25-13 victory over Tulsa in the Armed Forces Bowl on Saturday.)Yet Navy Coach Paul Johnson has a similarly strong record in bowl games: Dating from his days as Hawaii’s offensive coordinator, Johnson has been part of teams that have won four of their past five bowl games.

NFL

NY Giants-Washington

Yahoo.com

Various scenarios can get the Giants into the playoffs despite having lost six of seven since their 6-2 start, but winning on the road Saturday night against the Washington Redskins to end the regular season would provide the easiest route. They lost their fourth straight home game last Sunday, 30-7 to New Orleans, and heard plenty of jeers from the fans as the team finished with a 3-5 record at the Meadowlands. Barber, though, has struggled in recent weeks behind an injury-plagued offense, with only one 100-yard game over the past six weeks. To change things up on offense, Coughlin announced this week that quarterbacks coach Kevin Gilbride would assume play-calling duties from offensive coordinator John Hufnagel for Saturday’s game. “I’m hoping it sparks us to win a game—a football game,” Coughlin told the team’s official Web site. Washington ranks 30th in the NFL in total defense, allowing 355.5 yards per game. The Redskins gave up a season-high 579 yards in a 37-31 overtime loss to St. Louis last Sunday. The New York defense, which has battled injuries and inconsistency all year, will be without star defensive Michael Strahan for the rest of the season. The seven-time Pro Bowler, limited to nine games and three sacks this season, was placed on injured reserve after aggravating a sprained right foot last Sunday. Since allowing an average of 10.4 points during a five-game winning streak from Oct. 8-Nov. 5, the Giants have given up an average of 27.1 points.

Journal News

Guard David Diehl will move to left tackle to replace Bob Whitfield, who had two personal-foul penalties against the Saints, and if Rich Seubert can’t play, Grey Ruegamer would start at left guard. Seubert is doubtful with a shin injury and will likely miss his second straight game. Ruegamer has made 18 starts in his eight-year career, mostly at center, though he played left guard in two games for the Packers last season.

The CEO of OffshoreInsiders and former GM of Freescoreboard scorephones nails OklahomaState and Rutgers over for a winning bowl performance yesterday. Get seven bowl plays Friday (includes moneyline plays), plus we have two NBA Wise Guy plays. We go 5-3 overall, including 2-1 with Wise Guy plays.

The home team is 23-6 in the Bulls games and 21-8 in Toronto’s games. That’s a combined 43-14 SU, yet the road team is the favorite. In location comparison (home team’s home stats, road team’s road stats) recently the Raptors still get a huge edge. The last 10 location, sees Chicago 3-7 on the road and Toronto 7-3 at home. In those games Toronto has field goat percentage advantages on both ends. Chicago is outscored by four, while Toronto outscores their foes by two.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Kansas State-Rutgers

Houston Chronicle

Rutgers (10-2) enjoyed an improbable regular season, winning its first nine games and climbing as high as seventh in the national rankings before losing two of its final three games. “Certainly, there’s disappointment,” Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said. “We had an opportunity to be in the BCS, and more importantly to be league champions. To come close and not get it hurts.” The Scarlet Knights are making their second bowl appearance in school history. “In 137 years of football, we’ve only been to two bowl games, so we’re thrilled to be going to another bowl game — and for the first time in our history, to be going to back-to-back bowl games,” Schiano said. KansasState (7-5) was picked to finish last in the Big 12 North Division during the preseason. Under first-year coach Ron Prince, the Wildcats won three of their final four games, including a 45-42 upset of then-No. 4 Texas.

Oklahoma State-Alabama

Examiner Enterprise

The 2007 season is starting early for the OklahomaState football team.Emerging from the dizzy ride of a break-even season (6-6), the Cowboys are hoping Thursday’s Independence Bowl showdown with Alabama (6-6) will be a preview of a team which has arrived on the BCS scene. If not for an easy three opponents out of the chute — Missouri State, Arkansas State and Florida Atlantic, which OSU outscored by a total of 135-25 — the Cowboys might have fallen short of the necessary six wins to become bowl eligible. Following a 34-25 loss to Houston, however, Oklahoma State never lost by more than six points, with the exception of a 36-10 setback at then-No. 4 Texas. The Cowboys finished up their season with a 66-24 massacre of an improving Baylor team and close losses to Texas Tech (30-24) and No. 13 Oklahoma (27-21). Alabama went 6-3 in its first nine games before dropping its last three contests to MississippiState (24-16), No. 12 Lousiana State (28-14) and No. 14 Auburn (22-15).

Texas A&M-California

San Antonio Express-News

The besieged Texas A&M football coach, fresh off a startling upset victory at rival Texas, relished the chance to get a few things off of his chest. Thursday night’s Holiday Bowl against favored Cal (9-3), the Pac-10 co-champion, should offer the Aggies (9-3) plenty of clues as to their program’s direction under fourth-year coach Dennis Franchione. What they know for now, however, is winning in Austin 12-7 last month lifted a huge burden, as Franchione earned his first victory over UT in four tries. Two years ago, the 7-4 Aggies swaggered into Dallas for the Cotton Bowl, seemingly on an up-tick under Franchione (despite a narrow loss in Austin), before the Volunteers whipped them 38-7. A&M followed with a losing season, bringing hollers for Franchione’s job. On Thursday, the Aggies will play in their first bowl since the Cotton.

Kitsap Sun

So far, the Pac-10 is getting kicked around in the bowl season. OregonState safety SabbyPiscitelli said losses by ArizonaState in the Hawaii Bowl and Oregon in the Las Vegas Bowl were well-deserved. Hawaii beat ArizonaState 41-24 on Saturday and Brigham Young spanked Oregon 38-8 on Dec. 21. “That’s their problem; I don’t really care,” running back Yvenson Bernard said. “I just worry about OregonState.” OregonState (9-4) takes a three-game winning streak into its game against Missouri (8-4).

CBB

Rider-Notre Dame

Press Notes

Notre Dame plays its first game since its 88-47 win over Army on Dec. 21 as the Irish entertain Rider. The contest will mark just the second meeting ever between the two schools. The matchup is the fifth of seven straight home games for the Irish. Notre Dame owns an 8-0 mark at the JoyceCenter this season and has won 10 consecutive games at home dating back to last season. The Irish are averaging 87.1 points per game (sixth in the nation) and have topped the 90-point mark six times and scored 80-plus points nine times.

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CFB

Florida State-UCLA

INS News

UCLA’s defining victory over Southern California may be a thing of the recent past, but it serves as a warning for FloridaState. The Bruins enter Wednesday’s Emerald Bowl on a three-game winning streak capped by a 13-9 win over USC in their regular-season finale. Both Dorrell and FSU coach Bobby Bowden believe this game could become a defensive battle. Neither team has been overly impressive on offense, UCLA averaging 22 points per game and FSU 25. Both defenses are strong against the run, and the Seminoles have the slight edge in pass defense. What UCLA lacks in scoring punch, it makes up for in offensive balance.

Cincy Post

Seminoles’ 14 losses the last three years are one more than FSU suffered in the entire decade of the 1990s. Inept offense (73rd in nation in total offense , 322 ypg, scored 20 points or less in five losses).

CBB

Northeastern-Louisville

Courier-Journal

Freshman forward Derrick Caracter will rejoin the University of Louisville’s basketball team tomorrow, but his return to game action is yet to be determined. Pitino said Caracter would not play as the Cards run off three games in four nights beginning with tomorrow night’s game against Northeastern. Instead Caracter will participate in individual workouts and work his way back into practice. The 6-foot-9, 270-pounder has appeared in six games this season and averaged 5.0 points and 4.8 rebounds.

South Florida-UAB

Press Notes

USF enters the contest sporting a 7-4 overall record on the year, but have dropped three-straight entering its game at UAB. Most recently, the Bulls fell, 81-69, at MissouriState on Dec. 22. USF also fell to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (69-63) and at UNLV (74-59) during its three-game slide. UAB will enter its contest against USF with a record of 7-5 overall. The Blazers snapped their two-game losing streak with a 84-53 win over Winston-SalemState on Dec. 23. It was UAB’s fourth win over its last six contests. Not only are the Blazers 3-0 in Bartow Arena this season, but they are riding a 17-game winning streak.

Wyoming-Wisconsin Milwaukee

Press Notes

UWM and Wyoming will be meeting for just the second time in history. The first meeting came a season ago in Laramie, when the Panthers overcame a halftime deficit to claim an 84-69 win. Milwaukee has posted a sparkling homecourt record since returning downtown to the U.S. Cellular Arena for the 2003 Horizon League Tournament. In all, the Panthers are now 38-10 in regular season and postseason contests at The Cell since their return, There continues to be no letup in the Panthers’ 2006-07 non-league slate. UWM has already faced road games with Michigan, Northern Iowa, MissouriState and Wisconsin and home contests with WashingtonState and UAB, all six of which are likely participants in the postseason this March.

NBA

Cavaliers-Hawks

Akron Beacon Journal

When the Cavaliers arrive tonight at Phillips Arena in Atlanta, they’ll face an opponent in the Hawks that has given them fits, despite a 9-17 record. One of those Hawks victories came Nov. 7 at Quicken Loans Arena, and coach Mike Brown is well aware of the problems the Hawks pose, primarily guards TyronnLue and Joe Johnson.

Timberwolves-Raptors

St. Pioneer Press

Toronto’s Chris Bosh has missed nine games because of his injury and is out tonight. Toronto owns a four-game winning streak against Minnesota.

Heat-Bulls

Miami Herald

Against the Lakers on Monday, the Heat played arguably its best basketball since winning the NBA title. And the team hasn’t felt this good about itself since collecting those championship rings on opening night. So it’s only fitting that the Chicago Bulls are next on the schedule. It was the Bulls who brought the Heat back to reality with a 42-point beating on opening night, marking the end of the championship celebration and the beginning of an early-season struggle that has lasted until recently. So tonight’s game in Chicago is about more than revenge. It’s also an opportunity to prove those early problems are a thing of the past. With one more win, the Heat will be at the .500 mark for the first time since the team was 3-3 on Nov. 12. But this is hardly the team that began the season with an embarrassing loss. The Bulls should have no confidence issues against the Heat after the opening night romp, not to mention the fact that they’re playing at home, where they are 12-2, and have won 13 of their past 16 games overall. But these Bulls are also scoring more than they have the past two seasons, putting up more than 105 points a game in their 16 wins and 102 a game at home. So it will probably be the Heat defense that has to prove itself to earn a win.

Get three NBA winners, which include another Wise Guy gift.We go to 22-5 our last 27 in the NBA.We have the side for the Motor City Bowl. You get the all of today’s Joe Duffy’s GodsTips $17 at the new home: OffshoreInsiders.com.

NBA

PHILADELPHIA +6 Golden State

This is a top dichotomous ATS and SU game.We discount 98 percent of trends, but this has proven to be the exception to the rule. Explained in our articles around the Net, basically if a team has a great SU record but horrid ATS record or visa versa, you ride for that to continue as it is the sign of which teams are most under or overvalued.

Philadelphia is 3-12 SU on the road, but 10-5 ATS. They are 6-1 their last seven on the highway despite going 1-6 SU. Having cut out the Iverson cancer, Philly has won two in a row SU. GoldenState is just 6-12 their last 18.